Cross-Shaped Tile
Unknown Artist
13th century
Medium
Stonepaste; overglaze luster-painted
Dimensions
H. 12 1/2 in. (31.8 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Tiles
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Fletcher Fund, 1964
Accession Number
64.60.4
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite **Cross-Shaped Tile** the 13th century the pinnacle of medieval Islamic ceramic artistry. Crafted in stonepaste—a composite body of quartz, clay, and frit that mimicked Chinese porcelain's translucency—this tile measures 12½ inches high and features overglaze luster-painting This innovative technique involved applying metallic oxides over a fired glaze, then refiring in a reducing atmosphere to produce a shimmering gold or iridescent sheen, evoking luxury and otherworldliness. Produced during a dynamic era of cultural exchange in the Islamic world—likely under Ilkhanid or Ayyub...